One knowledgeable in the art will be well aware that the prior art has disclosed a plurality of support devices, including devices for retaining a user's jacket or coat. Nonetheless, as with substantially all fields of endeavor, there remains room for further advancement, such as in the solving of problems that prior art inventors have been unable to master and problems that others have simply failed to recognize. As a result, there is a need for a mechanism for carrying a user's coat or similar article for use by travelers, walkers, and other persons that is capable of providing additional advantages and functions for which prior art inventors may have not yet appreciated a need and that is capable of resolving issues that prior art inventors have been able to solve.